Starting pitchers lead the way for UConn in their sweep over the Pirates of East Carolina. (File photo)

Starting pitching carried UConn (16-9, 3-0) to their first sweep of the season over No. 16/25 East Carolina (18-11, 0-3).

Tim Cate, Wills Montgomerie and Mason Feole all pitched at least seven innings for the Huskies in their teams wins.

Willy Yahn has been a steady presence at the top of the Huskies lineup since coming back from a hand injury earlier this season. The third baseman has featured in 15 games this season and has had multiple hit games in seven of them.

In game one the Huskies edged out the Pirates 3-2. Cate pitched seven innings, gave up one unearned run and tied a career-high with 13 strikeouts.

A big eighth inning sealed the game for the Huskies. Keith Krueger hit an RBI-double to left field to give UConn the 2-1 lead. With two-outs in the inning Yahn hit an RBI-single that sealed the game.

Game two was another close-fought contest that required extra innings to be settled before the game finished 3-2.

Montgomerie pitched seven innings, only giving up one run and striking out six.

Ultimately, the game was decided by a clutch, two-out RBI-single in the 10th by catcher Zac Susi to move the Huskies ahead 3-2. John Russell provided the save at the bottom of the inning earning his second save of the series and ninth of the season.

On Sunday, the Huskies completed the sweep winning 5-1.

Feole put on a show allowing just five hits, one unearned run and recording six strikeouts.

Anthony Prato opened the scoring for the Huskies with a single that drove in one batter. Shortly after, Conor Moriarty hit a line drive to right field driving in two runs that brought the Huskies in front, 4-0.

This weekend was a record breaking one for the Huskies in a variety of ways. The team earned their first-ever series win against East Carolina in program history. UConn also started 3-0 in their conference for the first time since 2012. It was also the Huskies first sweep against a top 25 opponent since UConn swept No. 7 Notre Dame, March 23-24 in 2002.

With the sweep the Huskies are now on a five-game win streak and will look to continue their streak when they play their home opener on Tuesday, April 4 against Northeastern.